


Clues & Taunts

by 60_Lingette_Humides



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Flirting, Flirting with abandon, I woke up and i had an idea and then it got wacky instead of angsty, M/M, Pranks, This went places, Uhhhh ehhhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 02:05:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12201714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/60_Lingette_Humides/pseuds/60_Lingette_Humides
Summary: There were clues.In hindsight, there were glaringly obvious clues that Akechi Goro was hugely vindictive. He was a vengeful, spiteful person and he didn't even hide it well.Akira would find out that what he did hide well was his capacity to flirt with wild abandon.





	Clues & Taunts

**Author's Note:**

> This... went in an entirely different direction than i planned it to.  
> ORZ ENJOY
> 
> .  
> ...  
> ......The whole fic is a bit silly! Forgive me!

There were clues. In hindsight, there were glaringly obvious clues that Akechi Goro was hugely vindictive. He was a vengeful, spiteful person and he didn't even hide it well. It was only through the Phantom Thieves alarming density that they missed it before it was too late. Or, most of them.

It began with a scoff. Warm drinks and junk food were passed around the attic. The light of the tv was illuminating, it's blue hues lighting faces no better than a candle would. They had gathered whoever could come to watch a featherman marathon. That meant almost all of them, minus Makoto and Haru who seemed to be having a study date.

Surprisingly, Akechi had agreed to come. More surprising was that he seemed to be enjoying himself. Or, at least up to this point, Akira noted with mild success. The scoff was more like a sneer, and Akira was infinitely disappointed he hadn't reacted fast enough to see the look on Akechi's face when he made the distinct sound. "Something wrong?"

Akechi jerked his head away from the tv, as though he were still immersed in the commercials. He turned to face Akira at his desk, and half his face was covered in shadow; as if a black mask came overtop it. He sat up from his spot on the bed as he answered, face illuminated fully. "Ah- no, not with us."

"The show?" Futaba ventured. Goro _almost_ grit his teeth, although the attitude was still there as he nodded.

"They treat Pink Argus harsher than I remember, and for no good reason-"

"No good reason!? Didn't she want to kill some guy?"

"I believe the term was 'ruin him as he ruined me', Yusuke provided from his spot against the bed. He was making rough sketches in the dull light, the mixture of shadow and light perfect for a piece. Ann was to his right, and she lifted her head to watch Akechi speak.

"To seek amends!" Akechi replied, momentarily invigorated. He cleared his throat upon realizing how loud he was and continued in a much softer tone (still loud in the hum of the tv and the quiet of Leblanc), "She seeks justice on her own merit when the judicial system cannot allow her ease. I find it an act worthy of respect to take her _ruiners_  life into her own hands."

When the silence in the room was too dense, and Akechi realized how much that sounded like the phantom thieves,  he backtracked. "Of course, it's only fine in a show! Such practices in real life would be- uh, unlawful."

Ann's reply was the shortest, most sarcastic two words, and seemed to say the most. "Uh huh."

"Unlawful doesnt equate immoral," Akira pointed out, just as the return theme played. Akechi nodded his acknowledgement of the phrase before turning his head in time to catch the return of the show.  
  
It was ten episodes after, with Ryuji going home to his mom, that Akira was alone with Akechi. Futaba was upstairs trying to find out how to play an ancient recording on his admittedly ancient tv, and Morgana had awoken to meow at them all to go to sleep. Of course, that only worked to keep them awake more.

Ann and Yusuke left for a snack run, promising to buy Morgana sushi if only he'd let then stay up this  _one night_. Finally, he relented. So while this went on, Akira and Akechi both went down to retrieve coffee for the remaining group. Akechi, he noticed, continued to have a sour look from the end of the revenge episode and onward.  
  
"Too bad about her revenge, hm?" He muttered, but in the close proximity of the counter Akechi heard it, his eyes lifting from their closed off expression. The smile lighting his face over someone agreeing with the idea of killing for honour was astonished, and if Akira was feeling hopeful, filled with admiration?  
  
"I was thinking the same thing! This is perhaps the one plot I find unfulfilling. Rather, when it comes to people like that criminal, I have to disagree with Pink's revenge attempt _and_ the others idea to stop her. A swift death would be too merciful, whereas the plan for jail like the other featherbirds had was too lax."  
  
"Oh? What would you do?"  
  
His eyes lit up as he thought, "Boil his limbs! If- if this was a lawless world, haha." He added post-haste, fixing his collar when Akira kept staring. At his leader's nod he began again, "A quick death is never painful enough. Revenge should be long, _tortuous_. I would prefer bringing someone to the height of their wildest dreams, and then crushing them at the apex of their power."  
  
He smiled as if he hadn't said the most terrifying (and slightly arousing?) thing to Akira, who prompty turned away to finish the coffee, "You've thought about this before?"  
  
Akechi laughed, a nervous shuffle of clothing behind him. "Is it that obvious? Before I was working for the law, I had rather unruly people and no way to deal with them... it helped to imagine."

* * *

The next time was outside the train station. Akira had found Akechi waiting among the masses and was going over to him for once, when he witnessed the way a kid smacked into him as he ran. He was far away enough to watch in silent curiosity as Akechi's face scrunched up in an overwhelming amount of hate. It seemed that even as the kid ran away Akechi wanted to castrate him.

And then the moment was gone. The odd face was over in a blink of his eye. Akira almost questioned his own eyesight before thinking Akechi had simply reacted so vitriolic. Before Akira could confront him about it either way, his train appeared halfway across the station. Akira swore and took off, Mona yelling in howlish yawps at how the bag was roughly treated on the way there.

Maybe he was having a bad day, Akira thought distractedly as he stuck himself into the heat of a subway car. It was still kind of hot, he begrudgedly noticed. Not just the train.

 

After those incidents it was easier to tell when Akechi had gotten back at someone. Akira noticed everytime someone would somehow wrong Akechi (even accidentally) they paid for it. Per example, Ryuji had thought it would be funny to record Akechi saying something and he had Futaba change it to sound like "Nya!" and spread it online (it was. It was extremely funny.)

It was only the next day, when Akechi came in looking decidedly smug after running from girls and becoming a new meme, that Akira kept an eye out for Ryuji. He found him later, as he was almost closing shop. Ryuji came running in. He shut the door behind him and sighed as the sound of cats hitting the door resonated within Leblanc.

"I don't know what they want with me!" Incidentally, as they would later find out, they wanted the high amounts of catnip they found hidden in Ryuji's backpack. Even Morgana was eyeing him strangely, to which he ran to the bathroom yelling, "Not you too!"

Seemingly unnoticed through the ruckus was Akechi, laughing silently from his spot on the bar. As soon as Ryuji left the room he nodded to Akira, picking up his briefcase and saying a warm goodbye. 

(Akira never mentioned his suspicions on who planted the catnip. The results would have been a prank war that could rip apart reality. And if he was honest, it felt good to have a secret between him and Akechi.)  
  
Or when Yusuke got paint on Akechi's shirt (although Akira would argue there was an equal distribution of blame, when Akechi had agreed to model and made the trip to Yusuke's dorm) and then the artist came to Momentos, perplexed, with his face stained blue.  
  
(Akira saw everytime Akechi had to turn away from the group to laugh, followed by giant silent coughing fits after it looked like the mirth was too much to bare.)  
  
Ann and Morganas duel prank was sending both of them calling cards saying the other one liked them. Ryuji appeared the most ticked, and Akira conflated that with the quick glances he always stole of Ann and came to a decision: he admitted the prank was his the next Phantom meeting. Akechi's attempt at keeping a straight face was utterly trumped, as he stared open mouthed. It wasn't too embarrassing given Ann and Ryuji were giving him the same look.

"Seriously, Akira?!" Ryuji then began to laugh, hitting his knee and all. "Damn, I thought it was Morgana tryin'a make a move."

Or Akechi, Akira supplied absently. He had been paying attention to Ryuji's version of a critical gaze, and it was only too soon before he'd been scrutinizing Akechi's giggling state. Meanwhile, the boy in question was now in turn scrutinizing Akira, who only smirked.

"Now that we're done being  _childish,"_ Makoto said, "Shall we continue talking about the palace?" So they did.

* * *

Soon, the only people he hadn't pranked (avenged?) were Haru, Makoto, Futaba, and himself. If Akira had to guess: Haru was in a bad emotional state, Makoto was his boss's _sister_ and Futaba...She wasn't for lack of trying. Futaba had told him what happened one late night at Leblanc. After Akechi snuck away from their meeting to 'go home' he received a harsh message detailing the effects of corrosive acid on human contact which he might become more attunely aware of if he attempted to move her Phoenix Ranger Featherman figures as he was one step away from doing. He seemed to respect her a lot more after that.

And, of course, that only left Akira. He stole the glory for one of his inventions, he had a dangerously handsome smirk, etc. These were the reasons he imagined Akechi would go after him next. He was feeding his plant and explaining to Morgana that it really  _wasn't_ him who did the prank (because Mona felt rather betrayed that his crush would be exploited like that, even if he didn't admit to the crush) but that Ryuji would kill Akechi if he found out.

"Why shouldn't I tell Ryuji the truth? He can avenge my pride!"

Then he had to explain the neverending pain of a prank war that would arise while they were trying to catch a traitor, and how unuseful  _that_ would be. Morgana relented, half heartedly ordering him to go to sleep.

He really would have. He  _really_ would have. If he hadn't gotten Akechi's text to meet him outside in about an hour. He waited, acting the part of someone going to sleep, watching and silently praying as Morgana decided to sleep on the desk today.

  _Alright_! He jumped out of bed (quietly!), slowly worked his way down Leblancs old stairway. He already had on sweats and a t-shirt, but swore once he thought of how cold it'd be outside. He turned in his spot, seeing an abandoned hoodie just barely near the stairs. He bent low on the stair, not wanting to move from his spot in case the floor creaked. He stretched and just got a finger around the sweater before he tugged, landing the heap in his arms. 

 _Good work!_ God, why did he feel so excited? Even Akechi's blank stare upon seeing him did little to calm his spirits. He slipped the hoodie on as the other talked. "I'm surprised you agreed so readily."

"What's more fun than a late night expedition somewhere?" _There's also the fact Futaba has both of our phones bugged, so._ "What are we doing?"

 Akechi gave him an indiscernible look, "I could have called you out just to talk to you."

He shrugged, "I'm hopeful you didn't."

 He smiled. "Right... would you like to walk with me?"

He complied. They set off on a leisurely pace, Akechi eyeing the alleyway if only so he wouldn't stare at Akira. "Do you know of any good places around here?"

"There's a bathhouse near here," he said off-handed. Upon hearing Akechi's sputtering from ahead of him, he continued. "It's a little small, but I'm sure we could make room."

Akechi still hadn't turned around. "Wh-"

"Just kidding," he laughed. "There's a few stores, not anything I think you'd like. And a doctor who I'd trust my life with."

 "...It couldn't hurt." Akechi replied after some time, his eyes now seeking out the area around them with a purpose. "I do need a relaxant every now and then."

"What?"

Akechi finally turned, face as earnest as ever, his eyes betraying mischief as he answered. "The bathhouse, of course. I hardly find a reason why we shouldn't." 

It took all of Akira's will not to stand there mouth agape, knowing that was what Akechi wanted the most. To see him stand down, embarrassed for once. Instead, he willed his charm to speak for him but found his voice could barely stammer out a reply. "You don't... Okay, why not?"

He attempted to shrug it off, to say it as if it were a casual thing- and shouldn't it be? He could do this with Ryuji and laugh it off (even as he eyed the blond boy's muscles); Yusuke had enjoyed it more than him, going off of the sketchbook he brought into the bath; but he knew without thinking that seeing Akechi Goro naked, or at the very least clad in only a towel would be simultaneously the best and worst experience of his high school career.

They stood like that until Akechi cleared his throat, "Lead the way?"

Akira nodded, his throat too dry to respond as he led the other boy to the small entranceway and the hall beyond it. They stood under the overhanging, the door just in front of them. The cold air seemed to dissipate into something warmer the closer they came. Akira turned to Akechi, "After you."

Akechi jolted as if he had forgotten the other was there, he murmured a polite 'Of course,' before tentatively reaching for the doorknob. He had his hand wrapped around it when he suddenly looked back at Akira. "Are you ready?"

"You're the one who wanted to relax here," Akira muttered, "But yes, I am."

He wrapped his own hand overtop Akechi's and both eyes focussed only on the door as they- Akechi's stomach grumbled. He hastily drew his hand, apologising but mentally relieved. "Do they have food there?"

They did. "Nah. We can go back to Leblanc and I'll make you something."

Goro smiled, and it was full of nerves but Akira thought he shouldn't mention it lest it disappear. "Then I suppose we'll just have to make up for my  blunder another day."

Akira nodded, and they both quickly walked away from the bathhouse, their nerves seeming to dissipate the further they got away. Akira thought it was cute Goro would try to make him flustered and get himself embarrassed in the process. And he learned something new, at least: 

Akechi Goro seemed to do things he didn't personally want to, and only to get one up on whoever it was he was targeting (which might be insanely useful to know for the murder plot). Even if he wanted to back down from his earlier statements about the bathhouse, he never did. He was fully planning to commit, and if his stomach hadn't sounded out in that exact moment- Akira realized as a shot ran up his spine- they would have been in there this very moment, naked. 

Thank God for stomachs. Akira slowly unlocked Leblanc, speaking in a whisper as he tried not to wake Morgana. He ushered Akechi in slowly, who took the seat closest to the door. "Why are you hungry, anyway? Did you not eat before you came here?" 

He seemed to think about it for a moment, "I must have forgot... with all my work piling up."

"But you didn't forget to make time for me?" Akira asked, faint smile ghosting his lips.

"I was compiling evidence for a theory. When I finished I thought of you." At the blank stare he got in return, Akehi continued. "I've got a theory in progress about you too, Kurusu-kun."

"Was tonight evidence gathering?"

Akechi looked coy. "Perhaps."

Was this his revenge? Toying with Akira as if he were a mouse in his paws? It wasn't working, he wanted to say. This chase, this back and forth was too much fun for it to be aggravating or anything a normal prank should be. He looked through the fridge for ingredients. "When should we reconvene on our bathhouse plans?"

 "I'm in no particular hurry." came the truthful reply. 

"Neither am I," he offered, and it was much easier to say with a wall obscuring him.

"No? Forgive me if I find that hard to believe."

This wall was good for a lot of things. It made Akechi's flirting increase tenfold. It hid Akira's growing blush, although he was certain Akechi saw him tense. Who knew whispering sweet nothings could be so fulfilling? His voice speaks surprisingly steady, even as his hand clenches around his ladle. "Is that part of your theory?"

 There was an affirming sound, and Akira lifted his head from his cooking to see Akechi nod. "Entirely theoretical. However, if I remember correctly, gravity is also ' _just'_ a theory."

They both smiled at eachother as if they didn't know a thing. Now Akira was sure Akechi knew about his crush in no unclear terms and his odd prank was some combination of teasing and flirtations that would end (according to Akechi) with Akira flustered. 

And Akechi was extremely aware that if he was made to explain how this flirting constituted as a prank, he would be left flailing with no discernible explanation, and then this entire thing would be egg on  _his_ face. So neither of them mentioned it.

Of course, now that Akira knew Akechi knew (and hadn't stopped all contact in disgust, but rather did the opposite), he could circumvent the other boy's advances. He laid the plate of food in front of the detective, leaning against the shelf of coffee beans behind him. "Do you like it?"

He watched him eat, not hiding his gaze. Akechi looked up with a seemingly sincere smile, his soft voice piercing in quiet Leblanc. "You'll make someone a lovely husband someday."

 Akira was wrong. He thought if he knew what Akechi was doing that it wouldn't affect him. He stood in front of Akechi, affected, back straighter and hands hidden behind his head but shaking nervously. He laughed to hide the blush that threatened it's way up. He turned his head to study the far wall instead of the very close detective.

He changed the subject before anything could grow. "Really? I would say the same if I didn't know how vindictive you were."

Akechi laughed in return, but it's more cautious than usual. "I _thought_ you knew... You haven't told anyone?"

He shrugged. "I don't see a reason to. How _did_ you turn Yusuke's face blue?"

 "During my stay he let slip the faulty locks on most of the dorm doors, his affinity for small naps to kickstart his imagination, and the blue paint was easy to find in the mess."

Akira smiled, turning to Goro fully. "I bet it wasn't hard stuffing Ryuji's bag either. How about Ann? Slip the letters in the mailbox yourself?"

"Of course." He wore a self satisfied smirk. 

"So," he ventured, "What were you planning to do for mine?"

Akechi's face burned. His pale face grew hot as he began to focus more on the food, "You can figure it out. Now,  have you ever wondered who of our group would fit each featherman character?"

"All the time." Akira smirked, but he let the conversation drop. The rest of the night was quiet, unassuming and safe territory. Their intense and awkward flirting forgotten for arguing over whether Futaba was moreso Blue swan or Yellow Owl.

* * *

 

The next day Akechi was already in Leblanc. Akira had run a few errands, returning through the door just to see Akechi's eyes light up upon contact.

Akira greeted him, "Honey, I'm home!" The amusing shade of red barely colouring Akechi's ears was welcome enough. He cleared his throat and his face returned to a fan-approved geniality. Things were normal after that. As if they would stay that way.

In the weeks to come it would be more than obvious what Akechi meant about figuring it out. Everyday at the train station him and Goro (he had gotten permission to call him Goro) had exchanged pleasantries or little nips of conversation before their trains arrived. Everyday Akira would watch as Goro's already tall form seemed to loom over him with a buzzing energy, and the way he seemed to be egging himself on to flirt. Usually, it ended before it began.

Then there were fights in Momentos, where he grew bolder. Where his days were spent with Crow requesting Joker specifically to heal him after every battle. The way he would 'absent mindedly' ask if he looked hurt, make jokes about undressing so he could check (only when nobody else was around). The hand that would linger on Akira's shoulder. The eyes that always caught Joker's as he stretched before battle.

And Akira didn't know if this counted- but then there were the _talks._  The long nights where he would sneak off to wander with Goro and always somehow arrive back at Leblanc to make him something to eat. That was when Goro mentioned everything:

  1. His favourite crepe store that was right next to his apartment.
  2. How he had doubts about being a detective.
  3. The salt he sneaked into the coffee of those who constantly belittled him at work.
  4. The less than savoury details of what he'd _really_ like to do to them (flaggation, castration, water torture was a favourite).
  5. His small list of names, each person having either an X or an O attached, each person worthy of some sort of payback.



 And so on and so forth. It was almost natural when they kissed. Akira had just slipped out the fifth night that week (Morgana wasn't even unaware at this point. He just knew it was hopeless.) He locked up Leblanc and turned to find Goro unnaturally close, although it was natural for them. He grabbed his hand and his mouth met his. The lightest brush of his lips that was almost air.

"Are we going?" Akira smiled up at him.

Goro looked down at the hand holding his tight, then to Akira's face. He gestured wildly with his clapsed hand, and swung both of theirs in the process. His face was unreadable, save the anguished wrinkle of his brow. "I'm supposed to kill you."

 Akira was steadfast to unlock Leblanc, dive back inside, and find the card he had specially prepared for this occasion. He dragged Goro inside, and had him sit on his favourite stool. Akira sat next to him, wordlessly handed him the card and merely watched as Goro flipped it on both sides before finally opening it to read aloud.

 "First, this is a lovely rendition of me as Red Hawk... So: You just confessed to me about the murder plot," Goro looked up from the card to laugh (partly in shock), but Akira insisted he continue. "Sorry for ruining your grand revenge scheme. I know killing me must work into it somehow. I know... how much you depend on vengeance as a reason to live but...? I don't understand. It ends there."

 Akira shifted in his seat, nervous. He grabbed both of Goro's hands, the paper crumpling slightly in his grip. " _But_ we already knew and had ways to circumvent it. Futaba hacked your phone. _But_  I hope you can depend on me like you depend on this perverse sense of justice."

"You want me to throw away the past three years of my life?" Goro looked down at their hands, and squeezed. "To be honest, it feels like I already have. Right back when I started reaching out to you..."

He laughed, voice harsh as he laid his head against Akira's shoulder, "All the orders I followed. All the people I _killed_ , all for me to go back on my plan because of you?"

* * *

 The interrogation room door slammed open. Akechi eyed the negative space where there should have been an officer in the room. He ran a hand down the door behind him, heard it lock into place as he locked eyes with the criminal. From his slow walk forward he sneaked a glimpse of interest to the phone on the table. Yet, the man who sat behind the table was the real target.

 "Kurusu-kun... out of all the thieves, you were the easiest to fool."

He brought his gun up. He bent across the table until it was against the other boy's head. His hand shook with the effort of keeping it upright. And he would have pressed the trigger. He _really_ would have.

He spoke. It was gutteral. His words sounded far away. "Call me Akira."

Akechi laughed. His other hand shook as he used the phone, hidden barely out of veiw. "You would like that, wouldn't you?"

Then he pressed the trigger.

 

 

 

Goro fumbled through the door to Leblanc, wearing a wide brim hat and a much darker coat than usual. Combat boots had his ankles sweating. He almost looked like Sae's cognitive self, he thought miserably. He slumped himself against the entrance. He felt more than heard Boss' exasperated chuckle. He felt the same way.

"The whole gang's upstairs," he grunted. Goro nods, comments about being thankful, before slowly working up the steps.

His already tentative pace goes slower as the voices finally reached his ears. They all seemed ready to celebrate the first part of their plan going well. Goro looked back at Leblanc. He could leave right now. 

He turned back to the attic, ready to take one last look before leaving. Akira had already noticed him. Goro gasped. He knew he would be alive, no matter how much his panic told him otherwise. He knew he would be there, in his room, so why-

"What the EFF are you wearing?!" Ryujis voice cut through the melancholy, "Holy shit! Did you rob an old lady on the way here?"

Normally, Goro would be annoyed by the outburst. Somehow, in this moment, it's refreshing. A grin tugs at his face. "I couldn't come here without a disguise-"

"You could have borrowed my doll head!"

"If you asked I could have helped you with some makeup- me and Ryuji could've given you a full new look!"

"Yea- wait, why me?!" He looked up at Ann.

"Where else would we get the hairdye?" She laughed.

"Instead," Makoto's voice clipped through the air, "You raided my sister's closet."

Goro found himself laughing with everyone else. Haru chastised his lack of accessories while Yusuke attempted to coordinate the outfit in a way that could look flattering.

"No such way exists," he muttered.

"Next time, I'll take everyone's advice into account."

Akira motioned for him to sit beside him, so he made the last steps up to the room (waiting for somebody to realize he shouldn't be there); the rest of them lounged around like blocks wedged into place, as if they always belonged; and he fit.

**Author's Note:**

> ........... LOL i had fun  
>  I hope you had fun ;) i had it planned until the late night excursion, and then i let my heart decide! ♡♡♡ What a hoe ♡♡♡
> 
> (Yes i do have an addiction to parentheses)


End file.
